Meal Ticket

Jordan, LeBron, Kobe, Candace, Shaq - before these legends made it big, they had to prove themselves on the same parquet floor: the magical McDonald's All American Games. Since 1977, basketball's most famous annual exhibitions of next-generation talent have catapulted high school seniors into the NBA and WNBA, and, for many, turned their dreams of superstardom into reality. Meal Ticket tells the story of this epic cultural phenomenon through the eyes of the legends it's created, the lives it's changed, and the communities it's transformed. Production began in 2022 and includes coverage from the 2022 and 2023 Games, in addition to other historical moments from the showcase. Interviews include McDonald's All Americans Blake Griffin, JJ Redick, Grant Hill, Flau'jae Johnson, Jalen Rose, Seimone Augustus, Patrick Ewing, Dereck Lively II, Candace Parker, Dominique Wilkins, Tracy McGrady, Paul Pierce, Breanna Stewart, Alonzo Mourning, A'ja Wilson, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Chris Mullin, among others. The film celebrates the contributions of legendary coaches John Wooden and Morgan Wootten, who helped bring the concept of the country's premier high school all-star game to life.